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Municipal  Reference  Bulletin  No.  6 


SPECULATION  or  SCALPING 
IN  AMUSEMENT  TICKETS 

ANALYSIS  OF   MUNICIPAL    ORDINANCES 

PROHIBITING  OR  REGULATING 

THE  SALE  OF  TICKETS  OF  ADMISSION 

AT  ADVANCED  PRICES 


PREPARED  AT  THE  REQUEST  OF 

ALDERMAN  WILLIS  0.  NANCE 

MEMBER  OF  THE  CHICAGO  CITY  COUNCIL 


MUNICIPAL  REFERENCE  LIBRARY 
CHICAGO  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

1006  CITY  HALL 


MAY,     19  16 


m»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»t 


« 
* 


I 

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f  »»»«ii»»«i 


Municipal  Reference  Bulletin  No.  5 


SPECULATION  OR  SCALPING 
IN  AMUSEMENT  TICKETS 

ANALYSIS   OF    MUNICIPAL    ORDINANCES 

PROHIBITING  OR  REGULATING 

THE  SALE  OF  TICKETS  OF  ADMISSION 

AT  ADVANCED  PRICES 


PREPARED  AT  THE  REQUEST  OF 
ALDERMAN   WILLIS  0.  NANCE 

MEMBER  or  THE  CHICAGO  CITY  COUNCIL 


MUNICIPAL  REFERENCE  LIBRARY 
CHICAGO  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

1005  CITY  HALL 

MAY,     19  15 


CONTENTS 


Page 

Introduction 5 

General  summary  of  municipal  legislation 6-9 

Classes  of  amusements  considered 6 

Ordinances  of  Class  1 6 

Ordinances  of  Class  II 6-7 

Ordinances  of  Class  III 7 

Ordinances  of  Class  IV 7~8 

Ordinances  of  Class  V 8-9 

Conclusions 9 

Digest  or  text  of  laws  and  ordinances  in  various  cities 10-20 

Akron,  Ohio , 10 

Atlanta,  Ga 10 

Baltimore,  Md 10 

Chicago,  111 10-12 

Cincinnati,  Ohio 13 

Cleveland,  Ohio 13 

Dayton,  Ohio 14 

Denver,  Colo 14 

Detroit,  Mich 14 

Kansas  City,  Mo 14 

Louisville,  Ky 15 

New  Haven,  Conn 15 

New  York  City 15-19 

Norfolk,  Va 19 

Philadelphia,  Pa 19 

Pittsburgh,  Pa 19-20 

Portland,  Ore 20 


INTRODUCTION. 

The  information  contained  herein  is  compiled  from  the  laws  and  ordinances 
of  cities  in  the  United  States  on  file  in  the  Municipal  Reference  Library  and 
from  replies  received  to  correspondence  carried  on  with  certain  city  officials. 
The  laws  and  ordinances  of  those  cities  having  a  population  of  over  50.000 
relating  to  speculation  in  amusement  tickets  have  been  examined  or  inquired 
into.  Special  attention,  however,  has  been  given  to  the  laws  and  ordinances 
of  cities  of  the  first  and  second  class.  There  are  at  present  twenty  cities  in 
these  two  groups,  having  a  population  of  300,000  and  over.  Investigation  re- 
veals that  smaller  cities  are  not,  as  a  rule,  subject  to  the  ticket  speculating 
evil,  excepting  under  unusual  conditions,  as  in  the  event  where  a  theatrical 
performance  or  other  mode  of  amusement  has  a  great  vogue  and  popularity. 
In  consequence,  the  necessity  for  special  legislation  designed  to  mitigate  or 
abolish  the  evil  has  not  been  felt  in  a  large  number  of  municipalities.  The 
ordinances  at  present  upon  the  municipal  statute  books  clearly  demonstrate 
that  no  city  has  adopted  an  ordinance  which  embodies  the  uniform  experience 
of  all,  to  the  extent  that  such  experience  may  be  applied  to  local  conditions. 
The  aimless  manner  in  which  the  ordinances  in  effect  at  present  have  been 
enacted  is  shown  l)y  their  variance  from  each  other.  The  ordinances  adopted 
by  the  different  cities,  however,  may  be  divided  into  five  general  classes,  viz.: 

1.  Ordinances  prohibiting  the  sale  in  any  manner  of  amuse- 
ment tickets  at  any  other  place  than  at  the  box  ofHce. 

2.  Ordinances  prohibiting  ticket  scalping  and  speculation  on 
the  public  streets  or  near  the  entrances  of  theatres. 

3.  Ordinances  prohibiting  the  making  of  fraudulent  reserva- 
tions of  seats. 

4.  Ordinances  licensing  speculators,  brokers  and  scalpers  in 
theatre  and  amusement  tickets. 

5.  Ordinances  prohibiting  the  owners,  proprietors  and  manag- 
ers of  theatres  and  other  places  of  amusement  from  disposing  of 
tickets  of  admission  to  speculators,  brokers  and  scalpers  engaged 
in  the  business  of  selling  such  tickets  at  an  advanced  price. 


GENERAL    SUMMARY   OF    MUNICIPAL  LEGISLATION 

CLASSES  OF  AMUSEMENTS  CONSIDERED. 

The  cities  having  ordinances  prohibiting  speculation  in  amusement  tickets, 
as  a  rule,  provide  against  speculation  in  tickets  of  admission  to  theatres  and 
other  licensed  places  of  public  amusement.  Some  cities  specifically  prohibit 
speculation  in  tickets  for  dramatic,  theatrical,  operatic,  musical,  baseball,  foot- 
ball, athletic  or  any  other  public  performance,  exhibition  or  entertainment.  In 
Cincinnati  trafficking  in  tickets  for  public  school  entertainments. lecture  courses, 
and  lectures  on  historic,  literary  or  scientific  subjects  is  not  inhibited  by  the 
provisions  of  the  ordinance,  while  the  Pittsburgh  ordinance  fails  to  prohibit 
the  sale  at  an  advanced  price  of  tickets  of  admission  to  entertainments,  the 
proceeds  of  which  are  to  be  devoted  to  charitable  or  benevolent  purposes. 

ORDINANCES  OF  CLASS  I. 
General  Regulations. 

Ordinances  in  Class  I  prohibit  the  sale  of  tickets  of  admission  to  theatrical 
performances  and  other  amusements  by  any  person  or  corporation  at  any 
other  place  within  the  corporate  limits  than  at  the  box  or  ticket  offices  or  other 
usual  place  of  selling  such  tickets  of  admission. 

Cleveland,  Denver  and  Dayton  make  it  unlawful  to  engage  in  the  business 
of  selling  tickets  of  admission  to  theatrical  performances  and  other  places  of 
amusement  at  a  price  higher  than  that  advertised  or  printed  on  the  ticket. 
New  Haven  and  Pittsburgh,  in  addition  to  prohibiting  speculation  in  tickets  of 
admission  to  theatrical  performances,  forbid  the  sale,  at  an  advanced  price,  of 
tickets  of  admission  to  baseball,  football  and  other  athletic  sports  and  contests. 
Penalty  for  Violation. 

The  Cleveland  and  Dayton  ordinances  provide  a  maximum  fine  of  $50.00 
and  the  costs  of  prosecution.  Denver  subjects  the  offender  to  a  fine  of  not 
less  than  $25.00  nor  more  than  $200  for  each  ofTense.  In  New  Haven  the 
sale  of  each  ticket  in  violation  of  the  provisions  of  the  ordinance  is  made  a 
separate  and  distinct  offense,  subject  to  a  fine  of  not  less  than  $10.00  nor  more 
than  $100.  Pittsburgh  provides  a  minimum  of  $10.00  and  a  maximum  of 
$50.00  as  a  penalty. 

ORDINANCES  OF  CLASS  IL 
General  Regulations. 

Municipal  ordinances  of  this  class  make  it  unlawful  for  any  person  or 
corporation  to  engage  in  the  business  of  selling  amusement  tickets  at  increased 
prices  in  or  upon  the  public  streets,  sidewalks,  alleys,  parks  and  other  public 
ground. 

Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  Denver,  Detroit  and  New  Haven  have  ordinances 
of  this  character.  New  York,  Chicago  and  Pittsburgh,  besides  making  it 
illegal  to  sell  amusement  tickets  at  advanced  prices  on  the  public  streets  and 
grounds,  prohibit  such  sales  in  front  or  about  the  premises  of  any  theatre, 
concert  hall,  circus  or  other  place  of  amusement.  New  York  further  declares 
it  an  offense  to  solicit  any  person  by  signs,  circulars  or  other  means  to  pur- 
chase a  ticket  of  the  above  description. 
Penalty  for  Violation. 

The  penalty  for  the  violation  of  the  Denver  ordinance  in  this  class  is  similar 
to  that  provided  for  the  violation  of  its  ordinance  in  Class  I,  as  is  also  the  case 
in  Pittsburgh  and  New  Haven.  The  New  York  and  Baltimore  ordinances  fix 
a  maximum  fine  of  $10.00  for  every  violation  of  the  ordinance  in  Class  II,  and 
in  the  former  city  imprisonment  for  a  term  of  ten  days,  in  default  of  payment, 
is  provided.  Notwithstanding  that  the  New  York  City  ordinance  is  strictly 
enforced  and  arrests  are  frequently  made  by  the  Police  Department,  there  are 
still  a  number  of  individuals  engaged  in  the  ticket  speculation  business,  which 
they  carry  on  in  a  manner  designed  to  evade  the  officers  of  the  law.  The 
devious  methods  followed  by  the  scalpers  and  speculators  in  evading  the 
ordinance  are  shown  in  a  communication  received  from  Inspector  John  F. 
Dwyer,  in  charge  of  the  Fourth  Police  District  in  New  York  City,  which  is 
known  as  the  theatre  district. 

Inspector  Dwyer,  in  response  to  an  inquiry  regarding  the  efficiency  of 
the  New  York  ordinance  in  al)olishing  or  mitigating  the  evil  of  speculation  in 
theatre  and  amusement  tickets,  states:  "Despite  the  ordinance,  there  is  con- 
siderable unlawful  speculation  in  tickets,  that  is.  selling  or  soliciting  their  sale 

6 


upon  the  public  streets;  of  course,  the  nuisance  has  been  much  abated.  Ticket 
speculators  now  beat  the  ordinance  in  this  way:  the  speculator  hires  the  priv- 
ilege of  transacting  his  business  in  some  little  store  adjacent  to  the  place  of 
amusement  of  which  he  has  tickets  for  sale.  He  has  runners  on  the  outside, 
who,  when  they  see  persons  turned  away  from  the  box  office,  say  to  such  per- 
sons, "do  you  want  to  buy  tickets  for  tonight's  performance  at  this  theatre? 
If  you  do,  I  know  where  you  can  buy  them,"  and  then  directs  the  person 
desiring  to  purchase  tickets  to  tlie  little  store  or  other  location  where  the 
ticket  speculator  has  the  tickets.  The  charge  of  soliciting  the  sale  of  tickets 
in  violation  of  the  ordinance,  based  on  this  conversation,  would  not  hold  in 
court,  the  runner  merely  furnishing  information. 

:  Co-operation  of  the  theatres  with  the  police,  in  my  opinion,  would  elim- 
inate the  evil  entirely,  because  it  would  make  the  business  so  unprofitable 
that  the  ticket  speculator  would  abandon  it.  We  have  an  arrangement  with  the 
Palace  theatre  management  whereby,  if  we  notify  the  doorkeepers  of  the 
theatre  that  the  holder  of  certain  of  their  tickets  bought  them  from  a  ticket 
speculator,  the  ticket  will  not  be  honored  at  the  door  of  the  theatre.  In  work- 
ing this  arrangement,  we  station  one  or  two  plain  clothes  men  outside  the 
store  or  other  location  where  the  speculator  and  his  runners  are  operating. 
If  a  person  is  seen  negotiating  with  the  speculator  he  is  notified  that  any 
tickets  he  may  purcliase  will  not  be  honored  at  the  door  of  the  theatre.  In 
most  cases  advice  of  this  kind  from  the  police  frightens  oflF  the  intending  pur- 
chaser. Although  on  assurance  from  the  speculator  that  the  tickets  are  good, 
and  that  they  will  be  honored  at  the  door  of  the  theatre,  some  people  will 
buy,  in  which  case  they  are  followed  to  the  theatre  by  the  plain  clothes  men, 
and  the  doorkeeper  notified,  and  admission  is  then  refused  on  the  tickets 
bought  in  this  manner. 

"The  present  ordinance,  while  not  entirely  effective  is,  to  a  considerable 
extent,  al)le  to  abate  the  nuisance  when  aggressively  enforced  by  the  police." 

The  Philadelphia  or«iinancc  renders  the  offender  subject  to  a  fine  of  $50.00 
and  imi)risonment  not  exceeding  tliree  months.  In  Detroit  a  violation  of  the 
provisions  of  the  ordinance  is  punishable  by  a  fine  not  exceeding  one  hundred 
dollars  and  costs,  and  in  the  imposition  of  the  fine  the  court  may  also  sentence 
the  offender  to  imprisonment  in  the  House  of  Correction  for  a  period  not 
exceeding  six  months.  Any  person  violating  the  provisions  of  the  Chicago 
ordinance  is  subject  to  a  fine  of  not  less  than  $5.00  nor  more  than  $50.00  for 
each  offense. 

ORDINANCES  OF  CLASS  III. 
General  Regtilations. 

Ordinances  in  this  class  prohibit  the  reservation  of  any  seats  or  areas  in 
theatres  and  other  places  of  amusement  unless  there  has  been  a  bona  fide 
sale  of  a  seat  or  seats  within  the  reserved  area. 

Akron  and  Dayton  have  an  ordinance  of  this  nature.  Cincinnati  has  an 
ordinance  making  it  unlawful  for  any  theatre  and  other  place  of  amusement, 
after  opening  "for  the  reception  and  entertainment  of  persons  attending,"  to 
sell  or  dispose  of  tickets  of  admission  for  the  same  so  as  to  reserve  particular 
seats  to  any  indivifluals  or  discriminate  in  the  sale  of  tickets  or  seats  in  any 
manner. 

Penalty  for  Violation. 

Akron  provides  a  maximum  penalty  of  $50.00  for  the  violation  of  the  or- 
dinance, Dayton  the  sum  of  $10.00,  and  Cincinnati  a  fine  of  not  less  than  $5.00 
nor  more  than  $50.00  for  such  violation,  each  seat  or  ticket  disposed  of  con- 
trarj-  to  the  provisions  of  the  ordinance  being  considered  a  separate  offense. 

ORDINANCES  OF  CLASS  IV. 
General  Regulations. 

In  a  number  of  cities  an  attempt  has  been  made  to  abolish  or  abate  specu- 
lation in  tickets  of  admission  to  places  of  amusement  by  licensing  persons 
who,  as  brokers,  dispose  of  or  purchase  the  same  for  other  persons. 

In  Atlanta  brokers  and  speculators  in  amusement  tickets  are  required  to 
pay  a  license  fee  of  $500  per  annum.  In  Birmingham  the  license  fee  is  $100.00 
a  year,  while  in  Cincinnati  the  annual  sum  required  to  be  paid  to  the  city 
auditor   for  a  license   is   $1,000.     The    Portland    (Oregon)    ordinance   requires 


ticket  agents,  brokers,  scalpers,  messengers  and  others  engaged  in  the  busi- 
ness of  buying  or  selling  theatre  tickets  for  profit  to  pay  a  quarterly  license 
fee  of  $100.00.  General  ticket  agents  and  theatres  selling  tickets  at  the  box 
offices,  doors  or  business  offices  of  theatres  are  exempted  from  the  provisions 
of  the  Portland  ordinance. 

The  annual  license  rate  in  Louisville  and  Norfolk  is  $50.00  a  year.  In  Kan- 
sas City  (Mo.)  speculators  are  licensed  and  required  to  pay  the  city  a  fee  of 
$50.00  per  month. 

An  ordinance  licensing  and  regulating  ticket  speculators  was  introduced 
in  the  New  York  Board  of  Aldermen  on  February  1,  1910,  and  referred  to 
the  Committee  on  Laws  and  Legislation.  Among  other  provisions,  the  pro- 
posed ordinance  fixed  a  license  fee  of  $500  for  the  first  year  and  $250 
for  each  annual  renewal  of  the  license.  Each  applicant  for  a  license  was 
required  to  give  a  bond  to  the  city  in  the  sum  of  $2,000  as  surety  for  the  faith- 
ful observance  of  the  terms  of  the  ordinance,  such  bond  to  be  forfeited  in  case 
of  violation. 

After  a  number  of  hearings  the  Board  of  Aldermen,  on  February  21,  1911, 
upon  the  recommendation  of  the  Committee  on  Laws  and  Legislation,  voted 
to  place  the  proposed  ordinance  on  file. 

On  January  14,  1915,  a  bill  was  introduced  in  the  Senate  of  the  State  of 
New  York  licensing  the  business  of  selling  tickets  for  theatres  and  places  of 
public  amusement  in  cities  of  over  one  million  inhabitants.  It  is  proposed  in  the 
bill  to  license  any  person  or  corporation  selling  or  purchasing  tickets  of  admis- 
sion for  other  persons,  to  theatres  or  places  of  public  amusement.  The  bill  does 
not,  however,  apply  to  the  sale  of  tickets  at  the  box  offices  located  on  the 
premises  of  licensed  places  of  public  amusement.  It  is  required  that  all 
licensees  pay  an  annual  license  fee  of  $250  for  each  theatre  and  place  of 
amusement  for  which  tickets  are  sold.  The  bill  is  now  pending  before  the 
Committee  on  the  Judiciary  of  the  New  York  State  Senate. 

Penalty  for  Violation, 

Any  person  engaged  in  business  in  the  City  of  Atlanta  as  a  ticket  specu- 
lator, without  having  procured  a  license,  is  subject,  upon  conviction,  to  a  fine 
of  not  less  than  $100  and  imprisonment  of  not  less  than  thirty  days  for  each 
offense,  the  Mayor,  however,  in  his  discretion,  having  the  power  to  remit  the 
penalty  of  imprisonment. 

The  Cincinnati  ordinance  renders  the  offender  liable  to  a  fine  of  not  more 
than  $500  nor  less  than  $50.00,  or  of  imprisonment  for  a  period  not  in  excess 
of  six  months,  or  to  both  fine  and  imprisonment. 

In  Kansas  City,  Louisville  and  Norfolk  the  ordinances  licensing  amuse- 
ment ticket  brokers  and  speculators  are  part  of  the  general  license  or  revenue 
ordinances  of  each  city.  Kansas  City  fixes  a  maximum  penalty  of  $500  and 
not  less  than  $10.00,  and  Louisville  a  sum  of  not  more  than  $100  and  less  than 
$5.00  for  every  violation  of  the  municipal  ordinance. 

The  ordinance  licensing  and  regulating  ticket  speculators  introduced  into 
the  New  York  Board  of  Aldermen,  February  1,  1910,  and  later  placed  on  file, 
provided  that  any  licensee  violating  the  terms  of  the  ordinance  was  subject  to 
the  revocation  of  his  license  and  the  forfeiture  of  his  bond  in  the  sum  of 
$2,000. 

The  bill  introduced  in  the  New  York  Senate  to  license  the  business  of 
selling  tickets  for  theatres  and  places  of  amusement  makes  it  a  misdemeanor 
to  violate  any  of  its  provisions  and  gives  the  Mayor  of  any  city  coming  within 
the  scope  of  the  proposed  act  the  power  to  revoke  the  license  of  any  ticket 
seller  on  account  of  disorderly  conduct  and  violation  of  the  law. 

ORDINANCES  OF  CLASS  V. 
General  Regulations. 

Ordinances  in  this  class  prohibit  the  owners,  managers  and  proprietors  of 
theatres  and  other  places  of  amusement  from  disposing  of  tickets  of  admission 
to  speculators  and  those  engaged  in  the  business  of  selling  such  tickets  at  an 
advanced  price. 

Denver  has  an  ordinance  of  the  foregoing  description  in  its  municipal  code. 
An  ordinance  passed  by  the  Chicago  City  Council  provides  that  no  amusement 
license  shall  be  granted  unless  the  licensee  expressly  agrees  to  refrain  from 
disposing  of  tickets  of  admission  to  theatres,  baseball  parks  and  other  places 
of  entertainment,  to  other  persons  for  purposes  of  speculation,  or  permitting 

8 


the  sale  of  such  tickets  at  advanced  prices.  On  April  28,  1914,  an  ordinance 
was  passed  by  the  Board  of  Aldermen  of  New  York  City  providing  that  any 
person  or  corporation  making  application  to  the  Police  Department  for  a 
license  to  conduct  a  theatre  or  place  of  amusement  shall  subscribe  to  an  agree- 
ment printed  on  such  application  stipulating  "that  no  ticket  of  admission 
shall  be  issued,  sold  or  offered  for  sale  by  or  on  behalf  of  the  licensee,  or  by 
or  on  behalf  of  any  manager,  agent,  servant  or  employee  of  the  licensee  at  a 
price  in  excess  to  that  designated  thereon,  or  with  the  knowledge,  purpose 
or  intention  that  such  ticket  is  to  be  resold  or  offered  for  re-sale,  and  no 
licensee  and  no  manager,  officer,  agent  or  employee  of  any  licensee  shall 
directly,  or  indirectly,  receive  any  consideration  of  any  nature  whatsoever 
upon  the  sale  of  any  such  ticket  beyond  or  in  excess  of  the  price  designated 
thereon,  or  directly  or  indirectly  enter  into  any  arrangement,  agreement  or 
understanding  for  the  receipt  of  any  such  consideration." 

The  foregoing  ordinance  was  reconsidered  by  a  vote  of  the  Board  of 
Aldermen  on  May  12th  and  referred  back  to  the  Committee  on  General  Wel- 
fare. The  latter  Committee  submitted  a  report  recommending  that  the  or- 
dinance be  placed  on  file  pending  a  report  from  the  committee  appointed  by 
the  Mayor  to  investigate  the  subject  of  speculation  in  theatre  tickets. 

A  bill  was  introduced  in  the  .\ssembly  of  the  New  York  State  Legislature 
on  January  14,  1915,  making  it  unlawful  for  any  person  or  corporation  owning 
or  managing  any  theatre  or  other  place  of  amusement  from  selling  or  dispos- 
ing of  tickets  of  admission  to  the  same  at  prices  greater  than  the  price  printed 
on  each  ticket.  The  proposed  act  was  referred  to  the  Committee  on  Codes, 
where  it  is  now  pending. 

A  bill  was  introduced  in  the  Senate  of  the  New  York  .\sscnil)ly,  on 
February  25,  1914,  and  referred  to  the  Committee  on  Codes,  making  it  a  mis- 
demeanor for  any  person  or  corporation  issuing  tickets  of  admission  to  receive 
or  permit  any  other  person  to  receive  any  sum  in  excess  of  the  price  printed 
on  each  ticket  of  admission  to  any  theatre  or  other  place  of  amusement. 

Penalty  for  Violation. 

The  Denver  ordinance  renders  the  offender  subject  to  a  fine  of  not  less 
than  $25.00  nor  more  than  $200.  The  Chicago  ordinance  provides  that  the 
Mayor  may  revoke  the  license  of  any  place  of  amusement  for  a  failure  upon 
the  part  of  the  licensee  to  comply  with  its  terms.  The  New  York  ordinance, 
as  passed  April  28,  1914,  prescribed  that  the  license  issued  by  the  Police 
Department  under  the  terms  of  the  ordinance  be  forfeited  upon  the  conviction 
of  the  licensee,  his  agents  and  empli)yees,  of  a  violation  of  the  agreement 
quoted  under  the  foregoing  heading.  Besides  rendering  the  offender  subject 
to  the  revocation  of  his  license,  the  ordinance  provided  that  any  person  violat- 
ing its  provisions  should  be  lial)le  to  a  fine  of  $50.00  for  each  offense. 

According  to  the  proposed  act  introduced  in  the  .\sseml)ly  of  the  New 
York  State  Legislature  on  January  14,  1915,  the  owner  and  manager  of  any 
theatre  or  other  place  of  amusement  selling  tickets  of  admission  at  a  bonus 
or  at  advanced  prices,  either  on  his  own  behalf  or  through  an  agent  or  broker, 
shall  be  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor  and  subject  to  a  fine  of  not  less  than  $50.00 
nor  more  than  $200,  or  by  imprisonment  of  not  less  than  thirty  days  nor  more 
than  six  months,  or  both. 

CONCLUSIONS. 

The  general  tendency  of  the  municipal  ordinances  considered  in  the  fore- 
going summary  may  be  stated,  as  follows: 

1.  To  except  speculation  in  tickets  for  public  school  enter- 
tainments and  lectures,  or  where  the  proceeds  are  to  be  devoted 
to   charitable   or   benevolent    purposes. 

2.  To  place  the  responsibility  for  the  sale  of  amusement  tick- 
ets at  an  advanced  price  by  speculators,  brokers  and  scalpers  upon 
the  owners,  proprietors  and  managers  of  theatres  and  places  of 
amusement. 

3.  To  place  in  the  hands  of  the  Mayor  the  power  to  revoke 
the  license  of  any  owner,  proprietor  or  manager  of  a  theatre  or 
other  place  of  amusement  who  disposes  of  tickets  of  admission  at 
advanced  prices  or  is  convicted  of  acting  in  collusion  with  ticket 
speculators,  brokers  and  scalpers. 

9 


DIGEST     OR     TEXT     OF    LAWS     AND     ORDINANCES 

PENDING    OR    IN    EFFECT    IN    VARIOUS 

CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

Where  a  city  has  enacted  or  proposed  conipreliensive  legislation  it  is  here- 
with reproduced  in  full,  otherwise  only  brief  summaries  are  given.  The  popu- 
lation as  given  for  each  city  is  that  estimated  by  the  United  States  Bureau  of 
the  Census  for  July  1,  1914. 

AKRON,  OHIO. 

(Population  80,291.) 

Section  167.  No  proprietor,  manager  or  employe  or  other  person  con- 
nected w^ith  any  theatrical  exhibition  or  other  show  shall  place  or  cause  to  be 
placed  anj'  card,  article  or  designation  in,  about  or  upon  any  seat  within  the 
room  or  enclosure  where  said  theatrical  exhibition  or  other  show  is  given  indi- 
cating that  the  same  has  been  reserved  unless  there  has  been  a  bona  fide  sale 
of  such  seat. 

Section   170.     Whoever  shall  violate  any  provisions  of  this  chapter  shall 

be  fined  not  more  than  $50.00. 

ATLANTA,  GA. 

(Population  179,292.) 

It  is  provided  in  section  2,885  of  the  Code  of  1910  that: 
No  person  shall  be  permitted  to  speculate  in  tickets  for  theatrical  or  other 
like  performances,  without  first  taking  out  a  license  from  the  City  Clerk, 
which  license  shall  be  $500  per  annum.  Any  person  violating  this  section 
shall  be  punished,  on  conviction  before  the  Recorder's  Court,  by  a  fine  of  not 
less  than  $100  and  costs,  and  imprisoned  not  less  than  thirty  days  for  each 
oflfense;  but  the  Mayor  shall  have  power,  in  his  discretion,  to  remit  the  penalty 
of  imprisonment. 

BALTIMORE,  MD. 

(Population  579,590.) 

It  is  provided  in  section  93  of  article  25  of  the  Baltimore  City  Code  of 
1906  that: 

It  shall  not  be  lawful  for  any  person  or  persons  to  sell,  barter  or  exchange, 
or  offer  for  sale,  barter  or  exchange,  upon  the  public  streets  or  highways, 
tickets  of  admission  to  any  theatre  or  circus.  Any  person  or  persons  violating 
the  provisions  of  this  section  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor  and,  on 
conviction,  shall  be  punished  by  a  fine  of  $10.00  for  every  such  offense. 

CHICAGO,  ILL. 

(Population  2,393,325.) 

On  March  18,  1907,  the  Chicago  City  Council  passed  an  ordinance  prohib- 
iting the  sale  of  theatre  and  other  amusement  tickets  by  speculators  and  scalp- 
ers, the  sale  of  tickets  at  a  higher  price  than  the  price  printed  on  the  same, 
and  the  sale  of  tickets  of  admission  by  the  owners,  managers  and  proprietors 
of  theatres  and  other  places  of  amusement  to  any  broker,  speculator  or  scalper. 
The  following  is  the  ordinance: 

Section  1.  That  Article  2  of  Chapter  VI  of  the  Revised  Municipal  Code 
of  Chicago  of  1905,  be  and  the  same  is  hereby  amended  by  striking  therefrom 
Section  121,  and  substituting  therefor  a  section  to  be  hereafter  known  as  Sec- 
tion 121,  which  said  section  shall  read  as  follows: 

"It  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  person  or  corporation  to  sell  or  to  engage 
in  the  business  of  selling,  any  ticket  of  admission  to  any  theatrical,  operatic 
or  musical  entertainment,  except  at  the  regular  ticket  office  or  ticket  offices 
located  upon  the  premises  where  such  entertainment  is  to  be  given  or  held; 
provided  that  nothing  in  this  ordinance  shall  be  held  or  construed  to  prohibit 
the  sale  of  tickets  to  entertainments,  the  proceeds  of  which  are  to  be  devoted 
to  charitable  or  benevolent  purposes. 

"It  shall  be  unlawful  for  any.  person  or  corporation  to  sell  or  to  engage 
in  the  business  of  selling  at  a  premium  or  at  a  higher  price  than  the  price 
printed  thereon,  any  ticket  of  admission  to  any  place  of  amusement,  whether 

10 


such  selling  be  his  or  its  regular  business,  or  be  engaged  in  occasionally  or 
incidentally  in   connection  with   some   other  business. 

"No  person  or  corporation  conducting  any  place  of  amusement,  or  any 
officer,  agent,  or  employe  thereof,  shall  directly  or  indirectly  ofler  to  sell,  sell, 
consent  to  sell,  or  permit  to  be  sold,  any  ticket  of  admission  to  any  place  of 
amusement  to  any  broker,  speculator,  scalper  or  other  person,  regularly,  occa- 
sionally, or  incidentally  engaged  in  the  business  of  selling  any  such  tickets  of 
admission  for  re-selling  at  an  increased  price  above  that  printed  thereon." 

Section  2.  This  ordinance  shall  be  in  full  force  and  effect  from  and  after 
its  passage  and  due  publication. 

The  supreme  court  of  the  State  of  Illinois  later  held  the  above  ordinance 
unconstitutional  on  the  ground  that  it  was  an  arbitrary  and  unreasonable  inter- 
ference with  the  rights  of  the  individuals  concerned.  It  was  held  that  pur- 
chasers of  theatre  tickets  have  no  right  to  buy  at  any  price  excepting  that 
fixed  by  the  holder  of  the  ticket.  In  the  words  of  the  court  "the  manager  may 
fix  the  price  arbitrarily,  and  may  raise  or  lower  it  at  his  will.  Having  adver- 
tised a  performance  he  is  not  bound  to  give  it,  and  having  advertised  a  price 
he  is  not  bound  to  sell  tickets  at  that  price.  The  business  of  dealing  in  theatre 
tickets  is  carried  on  to  some  extent,  at  least,  and  the  right  to  do  so  and  to  con- 
tract in  regard  to  such  tickets  is  a  right  in  which  those  who  use  it  are  entitled 
to  be  protected.  Though  the  manager  sells  all  his  tickets  at  one  price  it  may 
be  a  valuable  right  to  sell  to  the  broker."  From  the  language  of  the  court,  as 
stated  above,  it  may  be  said  that  the  ordinance  was  declared  unconstitutional 
largely,  if  not  solely,  on  the  ground  of  its  supposed  interference  with  the  indi- 
vidual's right  to  contract,  and  that  the  interests  of  the  public  were  not  con- 
sidered in  due  measure,  if  at  all. 

The  following  is  an  ordinance  passed  by  the  Chicago  City  Council  June 
3,  1912,  and  in  effect  at  present: 

Section  1.  That  Section  108  of  the  Chicago  City  Code  of  1911  be  and  the 
same  is  hereby  amended  by  adding  thereto  the  following,  which  is  hereby  des- 
ignated as  Section  108a: 

"Section  108a.  Provided,  that  the  license,  if  granted,  is  ac- 
cepted by  the  licensee  or  licensees  upon  the  express  condition  that 
he  or  they  will  neither  give,  grant  nor  permit  to  be  given  or 
granted  to  any  person  or  persons  any  options  upon  seats  or  tickets 
in  said  theatre,  baseball  park  or  other  place  of  amusement,  or  sell 
to  any  person  or  persons  any  such  seats  or  tickets  with  the  intent 
and  for  the  purpose  of  speculating  in  such  seats  or  tickets,  or  ac- 
cept the  return  of  unsold  tickets,  that  he  or  they  will  not  charge  or 
permit  to  be  charged,  directly  or  indirectly,  by  any  agent  or  person 
in  his  or  their  employ,  for  any  ticket  f)r  tickets,  any  sum  over  and 
above  the  sum  printed  on  the  face  of  such  ticket  or  tickets,  and 
that  all  seats  shall  l)e  sold  and  disposed  of  to  the  public  applying 
therefor,  at  the  box  office  of  the  theatre,  baseball  park  or  other 
place  of  amusement,  selling  said  tickets,  and  that  the  license 
granted  hereunder  shall  be  null  and  void  and  may  be  revoked  by 
the  Mayor  upon  the  failure  or  refusal  of  the  applicant  to  comply 
with  any  of  the  foregoing  conditions." 

Section  2.  This  ordinance  shall  be  in  full  force  and  effect  from  and  after 
its  passage  and  approval. 

The  following  ordinance  was  introduced  in  the  Chicago  City  Council  on 
April  4,  1915,  by  Alderman  Willis  O.  Xance  and  referred  to  the  Committee  on 
Judiciary  where  it  is  now  pending: 

Section  1.  That  Section  108  of  The  Chicago  Code  of  1911.  as  amended 
by  an  ordinance  adding  Section  108a  thereto,  passed  June  3,  1912.  and  appear- 
ing on  pages  622  and  b23  of  the  Journal  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  City  Coun- 
cil of  that  date,  be  and  the  same  is  hereby  further  amended  so  as  to  read  as 
follows: 

"108.  Application  for  license — conditions — to  be  null  and  void  if 
not  obscnrd — penalty.  Any  person  or  corporation  desiring  to  pro- 
duce, present,  conduct,  operate  or  offer  for  gain  or  profit  any  of  the 
foregoing  classes  of  entertainments  at  any  place  within  the  city,  shall 

11 


make  application  to  the  Mayor  in  writing,  setting  out  the  full  name  and 
address  of  the  applicant,  if  an  individual,  and  if  a  corporation,  the  full 
names  and  residences  of  its  principal  officers ;  also  a  description  of  the 
place  where  it  is  proposed  to  produce,  present,  conduct,  operate  or  offer 
such  entertainment,  a  description  of  the  kind  and  class  of  entertain- 
ment, the  highest  price  to  be  charged  for  admission  thereto,  exclusive 
of  that  charged  for  box  seats,  and  the  seating  capacity  of  such  place. 
Such  application  shall  coittain,  plainly  printed  thereon,  the  following 
agreements,  zvhich,  together  zvith  apt  words  indicating  that  the  appli- 
cant accepts  the  same  as  conditions  for  the  issuance  of  the  license 
applied  for,  shall  be  subscribed  by  the  applicant  before  any  license  shall 
be  issued  thereunder: 

"l.  That  every  ticket  of  admission  issued  by  said  applicant  when 
licensed  under  such  application  shall  have  conspicuously  printed  upon 
its  face  the  price  thereof,  the  date  for  which  the  same  is  issued  and  the 
particular  performance  for  which  issued  if  there  is  to  be  more  than  one 
on  such  date,  and  that  no  price  in  excess  of  that  so  designated  will  be 
asked  or  accepted  by  or  on  behalf  of  such  licensee. 

"2.  That  no  ticket  of  admission  shall  be  issued,  sold  or  offered 
for  sale  by  or  on  behalf  of  the  licensee  to  whom  a  license  is  issued 
under  such  application  at  a  price  in  excess  of  that  designated  thereon, 
or  with  the  knowledge,  purpose  or  intention  that  such  ticket  is  to  be 
resold  or  offered  for  resale,  and  no  licensee  and  no  manager,  officer, 
agent  or  employe  of  any  licensee  shall,  directly  or  indirectly,  receive 
any  consideration  of  any  nature  whatsoever  upon  the  sale  of  any  such 
ticket  beyond  or  in  excess  of  the  price  designated  thereon,  or  directly 
or  indirectly  enter  into  any  arrangement,  agreement  or  understanding 
for  the  receipt  of  any  such  consideration. 

"3.  That  any  license  issued  by  virtue  of  such  application  shall  be 
and  become  null  and  void  by  operation  of  law,  without  express  revoca- 
tion on  the  part  of  the  Mayor  or  any  other  executive  officer  of  the  city, 
if  the  licensee  or  his  agents  or  employees  acting  for  him,  shall  be  ad- 
judged guilty  by  a  court  of  competent  jurisdiction  of  having  violated 
any  of  the  conditions  named  herein  and  so  subscribed  by  the  applicant 
for  a  license. 

"When  the  said  application  and  the  agreements  therein  contained 
shall  have  been  signed  by  the  applicant,  the  Mayor  shall  make,  or  cause 
to  be  made,  an  examination  of  such  place,  and  if  all  the  provisions  of 
this  chapter,  and  all  of  the  ordinances  of  the  City  of  Chicago  relating 
to  the  giving  of  entertainments  and  of  the  location,  construction  and 
maintenance  of  the  places  within  which  such  entertainments  are  given, 
are  complied  with,  the  Mayor  shall  issue,  or  cause  to  be  issued,  a 
license  to  such  applicant,  attested  by  the  city  clerk,  which  shall  entitle 
the  licensee  to  conduct,  produce,  present,  operate  or  offer  the  class  of 
entertainment  specified  in  such  license  at  the  place  designated  in  such 
application  and  for  the  period  of  time  specified  in  such  license,  upon 
the  payment  of  the  license  fee  hereinafter  specified :  Provided,  how- 
ever, that  the  said  license  shall  contain  apt  words  indicating  that  the 
same  is  issued  and  accepted  subject  to  the  conditions  and  agreements 
hereinbefore  set  forth  contained  in  the  application  for  same  and  sub- 
scribed by  the  licensee  when  application  for  such  license  is  mad^ ;  and 
the  said  conditions  shall  upon  the  issuance  of  such  license  at  once 
become  binding  on  the  licensee,  his  agents  and  employees,  zvho  shall  con- 
form to  the  requirements  of  same. 

"Any  person  or  corporation  failing  to  comply  zvith  or  violating 
any  of  the  provisions  of  this  section,  or,  haznng  received  a  license  under 
the  terms  and  conditions  imposed  by  this  section,  fails  to  observe  the 
conditions  so  imposed,  shall  be  liable,  in  addition  to  any  other  penalty 
prescribed  by  law,  to  a  penalty  of  fifty  dollars  for  each  offense." 

Section  2.     This  ordinance  shall  take  effect  and  be  in  force  from  and  after 
its  passage  and  due  publication. 

12 


CINCINNATI,  OHIO. 

(Population  402.175.) 

The  following  is  the  Cincinnati  ordinance  as  contained  in  the  Code  of  1911: 

Section  800.  Any  person  or  persons  whether  as  principals  or  agents,  car- 
rying on  or  engaged  in  the  business  of  trafficking  for  profit  in  tickets  of  ad- 
mission to  any  theatres,  opera-house,  music-hall,  or  other  place  of  entertain- 
ment, amusement  or  instruction,  to  which  tickets  of  admission  are  offered 
for  sale  to  the  general  public,  shall  be  required  to  pay  a  license  fee  of  one 
thousand  dollars,  the  said  license  to  be  given  for  the  term  of  one  year  from 
its  issue,  and  to  be  issued  by  the  auditor  of  the  city.  But  the  trafficking  in 
tickets  for  public  school  entertainments,  lecture  courses,  and  lectures  on  his- 
toric, literary  or  scientific  subjects,  shall  not  come  within  the  provisions  of 
this  section;  nor  shall  the  same  apply  to  any  sale  or  transfer  of  tickets  of 
admission  to  any  theatre,  opera-house,  music-hall  or  other  place  of  amuse- 
ment, entertainment  or  instruction,  when  no  greater  price  is  asked  or  received 
therefor  than  that  for  which  such  tickets  were  sold  or  offered  for  sale  by  the 
persons  or  corporation  issuing  such  tickets. 

Section  831.  After  opening  for  the  reception  or  entertainment  of  per- 
sons attending  any  theatrical  exhibition,  public  show,  or  exhibition  of  what- 
ever name  or  nature,  within  the  corporate  limits,  for  which  money  or  other 
reward  is  in  any  manner  demanded  or  received,  it  shall  be  unlawful  for  any 
person  or  persons,  owning  or  having  control  or  charge  of  any  such  show  or 
exhibition,  or  of  the  sale  or  disposal  of  tickets  or  seats  so  as  to  reserve  par- 
ticular seats  in  either  portion  of  said  show  or  exhibition  to  any  individuals, 
or  in  any  wise  to  discriminate  in  the  right  to  or  sale  of  any  such  seats.  Every 
place  of  amusement  shall  have  framed  and  hung  up  at  the  door  in  some  con- 
spicuous place  a  printed  copy  of  this  section,  .^ny  person  or  persons  violat- 
ing this  section  shall  on  conviction  be  fined  in  any  sum  not  exceeding  ten  dol- 
lars and  costs  of  prosecution;  each  ticket  or  seat  so  disposed  of  or  sold  shall 
be  deemed  and  held  to  be  a  separate  offense  and  violation. 

Section  832.  Whenever  any  theatrical  show  or  exhibition  of  any  name  oi 
nature  is  given  at  any  hall  or  building  in  this  city  licensed  as  a  theatre,  ana 
for  admission  to  which  money  is  demanded,  if  such  theatrical  show  or  exhi- 
bition is  advertised  by  the  proprietor  of  such  theatre,  show  or  exhibition  in 
any  newspaper  of  general  circulation  published  within  the  corporate  limits 
of  Cincinnati,  every  such  advertisement  shall  state  the  complete  scale  of  prices 
for  admission  to  such  theatrical  show  or  exhibition,  and  such  scale  of  prices 
shall  also  be  framed  and  hung  up  in  some  conspicuous  place  at  the  door  of  the 
theatre;  and  it  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  person  to  sell  or  dispose  of  any  ticket 
or  seat  for  such  theatrical  show  or  exhibition  at  a  higher  price  for  admission 
thereto  than  according  to  the  scale  of  prices  so  published,  framed  and  hung 
up;  and  it  shall  also  be  unlawful  for  any  person  to  sell  or  dispose  of  any  ticket 
or  seat  for  any  such  theatrical  show  or  exhibition  without  such  scale  of  prices 
having  been  first  advertised,  together  with  any  newspaper  advertisement  of 
such  show  or  exhibition,  and  also  having  been  framed  and  hung  up  at  the 
door  of  the  theatre  as  above  required.  .Any  person  or  persons  violating  this 
section  shall,  on  conviction,  be  fined  in  any  sum  not  e.xceeding  $50.00  nor  less 
than  $5.00.  Each  ticket  or  seat  sold  or  disposed  of  contrary  to  the  provisions 
of  this  section  shall  be  deemed  and  held  to  be  a  separate  offense. 

CLEVELAND,  OHIO. 

(.Population  639.431.) 

Section  1,534  of  the  revised  ordinances  of  1907  reads  as  follows: 

It  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  person  to  sell,  or  offer  for  sale,  any  ticket  or 
tickets  of  admission  to  any  theatrical  or  other  exhibition  to  be  given  within 
the  limits  of  the  City  of  Cleveland,  for  a  sum  exceeding  the  price  of  admission 
advertised  for  or  charged  by  the  owner  or  manager  of  such  exhibition.  Any 
person  violating  any  of  the  provisions  of  this  section  shall,  on  conviction 
thereof,  be  fined  in  any  sum  not  exceeding  $50.00  and  costs  of  the  prosecution. 

13 


DAYTON,  OHIO. 

(Population   123.794.) 

Ordinance  6,244,  passed  May  26.  1904,  provides: 

Section  1.  That  is  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  person  within  the  City  of 
Dayton,  State  of  Ohio,  to  sell  or  offer  for  sale  any  theatrical  ticket  or  tickets, 
or  other  tickets  of  licensed  amusements,  outside  of  the  box  office  or  other 
usual  place  of  selling  tickets,  from  any  theatre  or  other  place  of  licensed 
amusement,  unless  such  person  shall  first  have  obtained  written  authority 
from  the  person  or  persons  issuing  such  tickets  to  act  as  his  or  their  agent 
for  such  purpose. 

Section  2.  That  it  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  person  within  the  limits  of 
said  City  of  Dayton,  State  of  Ohio,  to  sell  or  offer  for  sale  any  ticket  or  tickets 
of  admission  to  any  theatre  or  other  licensed  exhibition  to  be  given  within  the 
limits  of  said  city  for  a  sum  exceeding-  the  price  of  admission  advertised  for 
such  exhibition  by  the  owner  or  manager  of  such  exhibition. 

Section  3.  That  the  provisions  of  this  ordinance  shall  not  apply  to  the 
sale  of  tickets  for  public  school  entertainments,  lecture  courses,  and  lectures 
of  historic,  literary  or  scientific  subjects. 

Section  4.  That  any  person  violating  any  of  the  provisions  of  this  or- 
dinance shall,  on  conviction  thereof,  be  fined  in  any  sum  not  exceeding  $50.00, 
and  shall  pay  the  costs  of  prosecution. 

DENVER,  COLO. 

(Population  245,523.) 

The  Denver  ordinance  provides  that: 

It  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  person  or  corporation  to  sell  or  to  engage  in 
the  business  of  selling  at  a  premium,  or  at  a  higher  price  than  the  price 
printed  thereon,  any  ticket  of  admission  to  any  place  of  amusement,  whether 
such  selling  be  his  or  its  regular  business,  or  be  engaged  in  occasionally  or 
incidentally  in  connection  with  some  other  business. 

No  person  or  corporation  conducting  any  such  place  of  amusement,  or 
any  officer,  agent  or  employe  thereof,  shall  directly  or  indirectly  offer  to  sell, 
sell,  consent  to  sell,  or  permit  to  be  sold,  any  ticket  of  admission  to  any  place 
of  amusement  to  any  broker,  speculator,  scalper  or  other  person,  regularly, 
occasionally  or  incidentally  engaged  in  the  business  of  selling  any  such  tickets 
of  admission  for  re-selling  at  an  increased  price  above  that  printed  thereon. 

It  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  person  or  corporation  to  engage  as  a  broker, 
speculator  or  scalper  in  the  business  of  selling  tickets  of  admission  to  any  place 
or  places  of  amusement  at  such  increased  price,  in  or  on  any  street,  sidewalk, 
alley  or  public  ground  in  the  city  and  county.     Penalty:  from  $25.00  to  $200  fine. 

DETROIT,  MICH, 

(Population  537,650.) 

It  is  provided  in  the  ordinance  approved  December  1,  1903,  that: 
Section   1.     No  person  within  the  limits  of  the  City  of  Detroit,  standing 
or  remaining  in  any  public  street,  or  any  doorway,  or  in  any  of  the   public 
places,  shall  sell  or  offer  for  sale  any  theatre  ticket  or  tickets  of  admission  to 
shows,  concerts  or  entertainments. 

Section  2.  Any  violation  of  the  provisions  of  this  ordinance  shall  be 
punished  by  a  fine  not  exceeding  $10()  and  costs,  and  in  the  imposition  of 
such  fine  the  court  may  make  a  further  sentence  that  the  offender  may  be  im- 
prisoned in  the  Detroit  House  of  Correction  for  a  period  not  exceeding  six 
months. 

KANSAS  CITY,  MO. 

(Population  281,911.) 

Kansas  City  has  no  comprehensive  ordinance  on  the  subject.  It  is  pro- 
vided in  the  license  ordinance  that  amusement  ticket  brokers  shall  be  licensef? 
and  be  required  to  pay  a  fee  of  $50.00  a  month. 

14 


LOUISVILLE,  KY. 

(Population  235,114.) 

The  ordinance  providing  for  the  licensing  of  business  and  occupations  in 
the  City  of  Louisville  requires  that  every  ticket  broker,  scalper,  person,  firm 
or  corporation  who  buys  or  sells  theatre,  railroad  or  steamboat  tickets  shall 
pay  a  license  of  $50.00  a  year.  It  is  made  unlawful  for  any  person  thus  licensed 
to  buy,  sell  or  exchange  tickets  on  the  public  streets  or  thoroughfares,  or  at 
any  other  place  within  the  city  other  than  at  the  office  of  the  licensee. 

NEW  HAVEN,  CONN. 
(Population  144,505.) 

According  to  the  ordinance  of  the  City  of  New  Haven  as  revised  to  Janu- 
ary, 1914: 

Section  23.  All  tickets  of  admission  to  public  places  of  amusement,  per- 
formance, sport,  exhibition  or  athletic  contest,  shall  have  printed  on  them  in 
a  conspicuous  manner  the  price  for  which  they  are  to  be  sold  and  the  date 
or  dates  for  which  they  are  issued. 

Section  24.  No  person,  persons  or  corporation  shall  sell  or  offer  for  sale 
in  or  upon  any  street,  park,  alley  or  other  public  place  in  the  City  of  New 
Haven,  any  ticket,  privilege  or  license  of  admission  to  any  place  of  public 
amusement,  performance,  sport,  exhibition,  or  athletic  contest,  or  sell  or  offer 
for  sale  anywhere  within  said  City  of  New  Haven  any  ticket,  privilege  or 
license  of  admission  to  any  place  of  public  amusement,  performance,  sport, 
exhibition  or  athletic  contest  at  a  price  greater  than  the  price  printed  thereon, 
or  at  a  price  greater  than  the  actual  or  fixed  price  of  admission  to  such  place 
of  public  amusement,  sport,  performance,  exhibition  or  athletic  contest. 

Section  25.  Any  person,  persons  or  corporation  violating  any  of  the  pro- 
visions of  either  of  the  two  sections  preceding  shall  be  fined  not  less  than 
$10.(H)  nor  more  than  $100  for  each  offense,  and  the  sale  of  each  ticket  sold 
in  violation  of  any  provision  of  said  section  shall  constitute  a  separate  and 
distinct  offense. 

NEW  YORK  CITY. 
(Population  5.333,539.) 

The  following  ordinance  was  passed  by  the  Board  of  Aldermen,  February 
14,  1911: 

Section  1.  No  person  shall  conduct  on  or  in  any  street  in  the  City  of 
New  York  the  business  of  selling  or  offering  for  sale  any  ticket  of  admission 
or  any  other  evidence  of  any  license,  contract  or  right  of  entry  to  any  per- 
formance or  exhibition  in  or  about  the  premises  of  any  duly  licensed  theatre, 
concert  hall,  place  of  public  amusement,  circus,  common  show,  or  any  place 
of  public  amusement  for  which  a  license  is  not  required  by  law.  Xor  shall 
any  person  solicit  by  words,  signs,  circulars  or  other  means  any  person  to 
purchase  any  such  ticket  upon  any  such  street.  Any  person  guilty  of  a  viola- 
tion of  this  ordinance,  or  any  part  thereof,  shall,  upon  conviction  before  a 
City  Magistrate,  be  punished  by  a  fine  not  exceeding  $10.00.  and  in  default 
of  payment  of  any  fine  so  imposed,  shall  be  committed  to  the  City  Prison  for 
a  term  not  exceeding  ten  days,  each  day  of  such  imprisonment  to  be  taken 
as  a  liquidation  of  each  dollar  of  such  fine. 

Section  2.  This  ordinance  shall  take  effect  thirty  days  after  its  approval 
by  the  Mayor. 

On  February  1,  1910,  an  ordinance  was  introduced  in  the  Board  of  Alder- 
men to  provide  for  the  licensing  and  regulation  of  ticket  speculators  and  re- 
ferred to  the  Committee  on  Laws  and  Legislation.  On  Fel)ruary  21,  1911.  the 
ordinance  was  placed  on  file  by  the  Board  of  Aldermen  on  the  recommendation 
of  the  committee  to  which  it  had  been  referred.    The  ordinance  is  as  follows: 

Section  1.  No  person  shall  engage  in  the  business  of  selling  in  anj'  of  the 
public  streets  of  the  City  of  New  York,  cither  on  his  behalf  or  as  the  agent 
of  any  other  person,  association  or  corporation,  any  ticket,  order  or  cer- 
tificate purporting  to  confer  the  right  of  admission  to  any  place  of  amusement 
or  entertainment,  unless  he  shall  have  first  procured  from  the  Mayor  of  the 
city  a  license  authorizing  him  to  engage  therein,  and  shall  otherwise  comply 
with  the  provisions  of  this  and  two  ensuing  sections,  in  which  event  he  shall, 

lo 


until  the  expiration  of  such  license  or  its  revocation,  be  authorized  to  conduct 
such  business.  A  written  application  for  such  license  shall  be  filed  with  the 
Mayor  of  the  city  not  less  than  one  month  prior  to  the  granting  of  the 
license,  and  shall  be  accompanied  by  the  affidavits  of  two  taxpayers  of  the  city 
who  have  known  the  applicant  for  at  least  one  year,  showing  that  said  appli- 
cant is  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  has  resided  within  the  state  for  a  period 
of  one  year,  and  is  a  person  of  good  moral  character.  Such  license  shall  be 
granted  on  the  payment  to  said  Mayor  of  a  fee  of  $500  for  the  first  year 
during  which  the  applicant  shall  be  so  licensed,  and  of  a  further  fee  of  $250 
annually  for  each  renewal  of  said  license.  The  license  shall  run  one  year  from 
the  date  of  issue  thereof.  Every  license  shall  contain  the  name  of  the  person 
licensed,  a  designation  of  the  street  and  number  of  the  house  where  said  person 
shall  reside  and  the  number  and  date  of  such  license,  and  such  license  shall 
not  be  transferable. 

Section  2.  The  Mayor  shall  require  the  applicant  to  deliver  with  his 
application  a  bond  to  the  city,  in  due  form,  in  the  penal  sum  of  $2,000,  with 
two  or  more  sufficient  sureties,  or  a  duly  qualified  surety  company,  approved 
by  the  Mayor,  conditioned  that  the  obligor  will  not  violate  any  of  the  terms, 
conditions,  provisions  or  requirements  of  this  ordinance,  and  said  bond  shall 
be  filed  in  the  office  of  the  City  Clerk.  In  case  of  any  violation  of  the  condi- 
tions of  said  bond,  the  same  shall  be  enforcible  by  the  obligee  thereof  on 
the  certificate  of  the  Mayor  directing  such  enforcement. 

Section  3.  No  person  licensed  as  herein  provided  shall  sell  or  offer  to  sell 
any  ticket,  order  or  certificate  purporting  to  confer  the  right  of  admission  to 
any  place  of  amusement  or  entertainment,  unless  while  so  engaged  he  shall 
wear  conspicuously  a  badge,  the  style  and  character  of  which  shall  be  desig- 
nated by  the  Mayor,  which  shall  not  be  less  than  two  inches  in  diameter, 
bearing  a  number  corresponding  with  the  number  of  his  license.  No  person 
so  licensed  shall  permit  his  license  or  badge  to  be  used  by  any  other  person; 
nor  shall  he  conduct  the  business  for  which  he  shall  be  so  licensed  within  any 
space  on  the  sidewalk  within  ten  feet  of  either  side  of  the  vestibule  or  en- 
trance of  any  place  of  amusement  or  entertainment;  nor  shall  he  falsely  repre- 
sent the  nature  of  any  right  or  privilege  which  he  shall  sell  or  oflfer  to  sell. 

Section  4.  Any  violation  of  the  provisions  of  either  of  the  three  preceding 
sections  shall  constitute  a  misdemeanor.  The  Mayor  shall  also  be  empowered 
to  revoke  any  such  license  for  any  violation  of  said  provisions  on  giving  to 
the  licensee  notice  of  the  charges  made  and  a  reasonable  opportunity  to  defend 
himself  against  them. 

Section  5.  This  ordinance  shall  take  effect  thirty  days  after  the  approval 
thereof  by  his  Honor  the  Mayor. 

On  April  28,  1914,  an  ordinance  relating  to  the  sale  of  amusement  tickets 
at  advanced  prices  was  passed  by  the  Board  of  Aldermen  upon  recommenda- 
tion of  the  Committee  on  General  Welfare.  The  ordinance,  however,  was 
never  approved  by  the  Mayor,  and  on  May  12,  1914,  it  was  recalled  from  the 
Mayor  for  further  consideration  by  the  Board  of  Aldermen.  Thereupon  the 
Board  of  Aldermen  moved  to  reconsider  the  ordinance  as  passed  and  it  was 
finally  referred  back  to  the  Committee  on  General  Welfare.  The  following  is 
the  ordinance: 

An  Ordinance  Relating  to  Places  of  Public  Amusement: 

Be  it  Ordained,  by  the  Board  of  Aldermen  of  the  City  of  New  York,  as 
follows: 

Section  1.  No  license  shall  be  granted  for  any  or  all  of  the  purposes  set 
forth  in  Section  1472  of  the  greater  New  York  charter  unless  an  application 
therefor,  subscribed  by  the  person  or  corporation  seeking  said  license,  shall 
first  be  made  to  the  Police  Department  upon  a  printed  form  of  application  to 
be  furnished  by  said  department,  which  said  application  shall  contain  plainly 
printed  thereon  the  following  agreements  on  the  part  of  the  licensee,  to  wit: 

First — That  the  price  of  each  and  every  ticket  of  admission  issued  by  or 
on  behalf  of  the  licensee  herein  shall  be  plainly  and  legibly  printed  on  such 
ticket,  and  no  price  in  excess  of  that  so  designated  shall  be  asked  or  accepted 
by  or  on  behalf  of  the  licensee. 

Second — that  no  ticket  of  admission  shall  be  issued,  sold  or  oflfered  for 
sale  by  or  on  behalf  of  the  licensee  at  a  price   in   excess  to  that  designated 

16 


thereon  or  with  the  knowledge,  purpose  or  intention  that  such  ticket  is  to  be 
resold  or  offered  for  resale,  and  no  licensee  and  no  manager,  officer,  agent  or 
employee  of  any  licensee  shall,  directly  or  indirectly,  receive  any  considera- 
tion of  any  nature  whatsoever  upon  the  sale  of  any  such  ticket  beyond  or  in 
excess  of  the  price  designated  thereon,  or  directly  or  indirectly  enter  into  any 
arrangement,  agreement  or  understanding  for  the  receipt  of  any  such  consid- 
eration. 

Third — This  license  shall  be  and  become  null  and  void  upon  the  entry  of 
a  judgment  for  the  penalty  prescribed  in  Section  3  of  this  ordinance  for  a 
violation  of  any  of  the  foregomg  agreements  by  such  licensee,  or  his  agents  or 
employes. 

Section  2.  Every  license  shall  contain  plainly  printed  therein  the  agree- 
ment on  the  part  of  the  licensee  prescribed  in  Section  1  of  this  ordinance. 

Section  3.  In  addition  to  any  other  penalty  prescribed  by  law  or  ordi- 
nance, every  person  violating  any  of  the  provisions  of  the  foregoing  section 
of  this  ordinance  shall  be  liable  to  a  penalty  of  $50.(X)  for  each  offense,  to  be 
recovered  in  an  action  to  be  brought  therefor  in  the  name  of  the  City  of 
New  York. 

Section  4.  This  ordinance  shall  take  effect  thirty  days  after  approved  by 
the  Mayor. 

During  the  present  session  of  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  New  York 
a  number  of  bills  have  been  introduced  designed  to  abate  or  prevent  specula- 
tion in  tickets  of  admission  to  theatres  and  other  places  of  amusement. 

On  January  14,  1915,  a  bill  was  introduced  in  the  Senate  of  the  State  of 
New  York  for  the  purpose  of  licensing  the  business  of  selling  tickets  for  thea- 
tres and  places  of  amusement  in  cities  of  over  1,0(X),000  inhabitants.  The  bill 
was  read  twice  and  then  referred  to  the  Committee  on  the  Judiciary,  where 
it  is  now  pending.     The  following  is  the  bill: 

Section  1.  Chapter  twenty-five  of  the  laws  of  nineteen  hun- 
dred and  nine,  entitled  ".\n  act  relating  to  general  business,  con- 
stituting chapter  twenty  of  the  consolidated  laws,"  is  hereby 
amended  by  inserting  therein  a  new  article,  to  be  .\rticle  9-a,  to 
read  as  follows: 

Sec.  144.  License  required;  fee.  On  and  after  July  1,  1915, 
it  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  person,  association,  copartnership  or 
corporation  to  engage  or  continue  in  the  business  of  selling,  dis- 
posing of  or  purchasing,  for  other  persons,  tickets  for  theatres  or 
places  of  public  amusement,  in  cities  uf  over  one  million  inhal)it- 
ants,  unless  such  person,  association,  copartnership  or  corpora- 
tion shall  have  complied  with  the  provisions  of  this  article,  and 
obtained  a  license  so  to  do  from  the  mayor  of  the  city,  or  other 
licensing  authority  in  such  city,  for  which  license  there  shall  be 
paid,  for  the  use  of  such  city,  the  sum  of  two  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars,  annually,  for  each  theatre  or  place  of  amusement,  in  such 
city,  for  which  tickets  are  sold. 

Sec.  145.  Term  of  License.  .Ml  licenses  issued  on  or  between 
the  first  day  of  July  and  the  thirty-first  day  of  October  of  any 
year  shall  expire  on  the  thirtieth  day  of  June  of  the  succeeding 
year;  and  all  licenses  issued  on  or  between  the  first  day  of  No- 
vember, and  the  thirtieth  day  of  June  of  any  year,  shall  expire 
on  the  thirty-first  day  of  October  of  the  succeeding  year. 

Sec.  146.  Specifications  of  License.  The  license  shall  specify 
the  place  where  the  business  of  ticket  selling  shall  be  conducted, 
and  the  theatre  or  place  of  public  amusement,  in  respect  to  which 
the  license  applies,  and  under  said  license  only  the  business  of 
ticket  selling  for  the  theatre  or  place  of  public  amusement  speci- 
fied in  the  license  may  be  conducted  at  the  place  specified  in  the 
license. 

Sec.  147.  New  License  for  unexpired  term.  The  mayor  of 
the  city,  or  other  licensing  authority,  issuing  the  license  may, 
in  his  discretion,  on  the  application  of  the  licensee,  and  on  the 
surrender  of  a  license,  issue  a  new  license  for  the  unexpired  term 
to  any  other  person,  association,  copartnership  or  corporation,  or 

17 


to  permit  ticket  selling  for  any  other  theatre  or  place  of  amuse- 
ment, than  that  specified  in  the  license  surrendered,  or  for  any 
other  locality  in  such  city  than  the  place  specified  in  the  license 
surrendered. 

Sec.  148.  Presumption  of  conducting  business.  The  sale  of  a 
ticket  for  a  theatre  or  place  of  public  amusement,  in  any  store, 
room,  stand  or  other  place,  to  which  the  public  is  admitted,  shall 
be  presumptive  evidence  that  the  business  of  ticket  selling  is 
being  carried   on   at  said   place   by  the   person   selling  the   ticket. 

Sec.  149.  Exhibition  of  license.  The  license  shall  be  exhib- 
ited, on  demand,  to  any  policeman  or  peace  officer,  and  a  refusal 
so  to  do  shall  be  presumptive  evidence  that  no  license  has  been 
issued,  and  shall  be  ground  for  revoking  the  license  or  licenses 
held  by  the  ticket  seller. 

Sec.  149-a.  Posting  of  license.  In  every  place  where  tickets 
for  theatres  or  places  of  public  amusement  are  sold,  there  shall 
be  posted  in  a  conspicuous  place  the  words  "licensed  ticket  seller," 
with  the  names  of  the  theatres  or  places  of  amusement  for  which 
licenses  have  been  issued,  authorizing  the  sale  of  tickets. 

Sec.  149-b.  Revocation  of  license.  Any  license  issued  under 
this  article  may  be  revoked  by  the  mayor  or  other  licensing 
authority,  for  any  violation  of  this  article,  or  for  any  disorderly 
conduct  on  the  part  of  the  ticket  seller,  or  any  other  person  acting 
for  him,  or  under  his  authority,  in  said  business.  In  any  case 
where  a  license  is  revoked,  or  where  the  licensing  authority  re- 
fuses to  renew  a  license,  reasons  for  the  action  must  be  stated  in 
writing,  and  shall  be  a  public  record,  and  no  license  shall  be  issued 
for  said  place  for  the  term  of  six  months  after  such  revocation  or 
refusal  to  renew  a  license. 

Sec.  149-c.  Definition  of  terms.  The  words  "ticket  selling" 
when  used  in  this  article  shall  be  taken  to  mean  selling  tickets  for 
admission  to  a  theatre  or  other  place  of  public  amusement.  The 
words  "Ticket  seller,"  when  used  in  this  article,  shall  be  taken  to 
mean  a  person,  association,  copartnership  or  corporation,  selling 
or  causing  to  be  sold  tickets  for  any  theatre  or  place  of  public 
amusement. 

Sec.  149-d.  Article  not  to  apply  to  box  oftice  sales.  This 
article  shall  not  be  construed  to  apply  to  the  sale  of  tickets  at  the 
box  office  or  box  offices  connected  with  and  located  upon  the 
premises  of  a  duly  licensed  theatre  or  place  of  public  amusement. 
Sec.  149-e.  Violation  of  article.  Each  violation  of  this  article, 
either  by  the  ticket  seller,  or  his  agent  or  servant,  shall  be  a  mis- 
demeanor. 

Sec.  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  July  1st,  1915. 
Another  bill  was  introduced  in  the  Senate  of  the  New  York  State  Legis- 
lature, on  February  25,  1914,  known  as  Bill  No.  733,  in  relation  to  the  sale  of 
tickets  of  admission  at  advanced  prices.     This  bill  was  read  twice  and  then 
referred  to  the  Committee  on  Codes.     The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  bill: 

Section  447.  Any  person,  firm,  corporation  or  association  who  issues  any 
ticket  or  other  token  entitling  the  holder  thereof  or  any  other  person  to  admis- 
sion to  any  place  of  public  amusement,  which  ticket  or  other  token  has  not 
plainly  printed,  marked  or  stamped  thereon,  so  that  the  same  is  plainly  legible 
to  the  naked  eye,  the  price  or  cost  of  said  ticket,  shall  be  guilty  of  a  mis- 
demeanor; and  any  person,  firm,  corporation  or  association  issuing  such  tickets 
or  other  tokens,  who  shall  directly  or  indirectly  receive  or  agree  to  receive, 
or  who  shall  agree  that  any  other  person,  firm,  corporation  or  association  shall 
directly  or  indirectly  receive,  any  money  or  other  article  of  value  or  any  other 
consideration  beyond  or  in  excess  of  the  price  printed,  written  or  stamped 
thereon,  shall  be  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor. 

Section  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  September  1,  1914. 
On  January  14,   1915,  a  bill  was  introduced  in  the  Assembly  of  the  New 
York  State  Legislature  designed  to  prevent  the  sale  of  tickets  of  admission  to 

18 


theatres  and  places  of  amusement.    The  bill  was  read  once  and  referred  to  the 
Committee  on  Codes,  where  it  is  now  pending,  and  reads  as  follows: 
Section  515-a.     A  person  or  corporation  who 

1.  Issues  or  causes  to  be  issued  tickets  for  admission  to  a  theatre,  circus, 
boxing  exhibition,  baseball  game,  place  of  public  entertainment  or  amuse- 
ment operated  I^y  such  person  or  corporation  as  owner,  lessee,  manager  or 
otherwise,  unless  the  price  of  such  ticket  be  printed  thereon  and  the  following 
words:  "This  ticket  cannot  be  re-sold  for  more  than  the  price  printed 
thereon;"  or 

2.  Owning,  occupying,  managing  or  controlling  a  building,  room,  park 
or  enclosure  for  the  sale  of  tickets  for  theatres,  circuses  or  places  of  public 
entertainment  or  amusement,  asks,  demands  or  receives  from  any  person  for 
the  sale  of  a  ticket  a  price  in  excess  of  the  advertised  or  printed  rate  therefor; 
or 

3.  Directly  by  himself,  or  by  any  agent  or  employe,  offers  for  sale  upon 
any  public  place  or  thoroughfare  any  such  ticket  to  a  theatre,  circus  or  place 
of  public  entertainment  or  amusement,  for  admission  thereto,  or  for  a  seat 
or  other  privilege  therein,  at  a  price  in  excess  of  the  advertised  or  printed  rate 
therefor;  or 

4.  Establishes  an  agency  or  sub-agency  for  the  sale  of  tickets  of  admis- 
sion to  a  theatre,  circus  or  place  of  public  entertainment  or  amusement,  at  a 
price  in  excess  of  the  advertised  price  or  printed  rate  therefor;  or 

5.  Being  the  owner,  lessee  or  occupant  of  a  building,  room,  enclosure  or 
other  place  open  to  the  public,  permits  any  person  or  corporation  to  sell,  or 
exhibit  for  sale  in  such  building,  room  or  enclosure,  or  other  place  open  to  the 
public,  a  ticket  for  admission  to  a  theatre,  circus,  or  place  of  entertainment  or 
amusement,  for  more  than  the  price  printed  thereon,  is  guilty  of  a  misde- 
meanor, punishable  by  a  tine  not  less  than  $50.00  nor  more  than  $200,  or  by 
imprisonment  for  not  less  than  thirty  days  nor  more  than  six  months,  or  both. 

This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

NORFOLK,  VA. 

(l\)pulati<.ii   S6,540.) 

The  Norfolk  ordinance  is  a  part  of  the  general  license  ordinances  of  tlie 
city,  and  provides  that: 

Section  141.  Every  person  other  than  the  manager,  proprietor  or  his 
agent,  of  a  duly  licensed  place  of  amusement  who  sells  tickets  entitling  the 
holder  thereof  to  admission  to  a  theatre  or  other  licensed  place  of  amusement, 
shall  pay  a  licfiise  tax  of  $50.(10  per  year,  or  any  part  of  a  year. 

PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 
(Population   1,657,810.) 

The  Philadelphia  Code  for  1904  provides  that: 

It  shall  not  be  lawful  for  any  person  or  persons  to  sell,  barter  or  exchange, 
or  offer  for  sale,  barter  or  exchange,  upon  tlie  public  streets  or  highways  or 
in  front  of  any  theatre  or  place  of  amusement  and  entertainment  tickets  of 
admission  to  such  theatre  or  place  of  amusement  and  entertainment. 

PITTSBURGH,  PA. 

( ropulation  564.878. ) 

The  Pittsburgh  City  Council,  on  December  26,  1911,  passed  an  ordinance 
regulating  the  sale  of  tickets  for  dramatic,  theatrical  and  other  public  per- 
formances.    The  following  is  the  ordinance: 

Section  1.  Be  it  ordained  and  enacted  by  the  City  of  Pittsburgh,  in  Coun- 
cil assembled,  and  it  is  hereby  ordained  and  enacted  b\'  the  authority  of  the 
same,  that  from  and  after  the  passage  and  approval  of  this  ordinance,  each 
and  every  ticket,  or  order  for  a  ticket  or  tickets,  or  card  of  admission  or 
license,  or  any  other  token  or  paper  or  exhibit  of  any  kind  whatever,  entitling 
or  purporting  to  entitle  the  bearer  or  bearers,  holder  or  holders  thereof,  or  any 
person  or  persons  whatever,  to  admission  to  any  dramatic,  theatrical,  operatic, 

19 


musical,  baseball,  football,  or  athletic  or  any  other  public  performance,  exhi- 
bition or  entertainment,  of  any  kind  whatever,  within  the  City  of  Pittsburgh, 
shall  have  the  true  and  actual  price  or  consideration  thereof,  or  therefor, 
plainly  printed  or  stamped  in  a  conspicuous  place  thereon. 

Section  2.  It  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  person,  persons,  firm,  co-partner- 
ship or  corporation,  to  sell,  barter,  exchange  or  transfer,  or  oflFer  for  sale, 
barter,  exchange  or  transfer,  or  attempt  to  sell,  barter,  exchange  or  transfer, 
or  be  concerned  or  interested,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  in  the  sale,  barter, 
exchange  or  transfer,  or  the  offer  for  sale,  barter,  exchange  or  transfer,  or  any 
attempted  sale,  barter,  exchange  or  transfer,  of  any  ticket,  or  card  of  admis- 
sion, or  license,  or  any  other  token  or  paper  or  exhibit  of  any  kind  whatever, 
entitling  or  purporting  to  entitle,  the  bearer  or  bearers,  holder  or  holders 
thereof,  or  any  person  or  persons,  whatever,  to  admission  to,  or  to  a  seat  or 
seats,  to  or  at  any  dramatic,  theatrical,  operatic,  musical,  baseball,  football  or 
athletic,  or  any  other  public  performance,  exhibition  or  entertainment  of  any 
kind  whatever  for  any  greater  price,  sum  or  consideration  than  the  price,  sum 
or  consideration  plainly  printed  or  stamped  upon  such  ticket  or  tickets,  or 
card  of  admission  or  license,  or  token  or  other  paper  or  exhibit,  as  aforesaid. 

Section  3.  It  shall  not  be  lawful  for  any  person,  persons,  firm,  co-partner- 
ship or  corporation  to  sell,  barter,  exchange  or  transfer,  or  attempt  to  sell, 
barter,  exchange  or  transfer,  or  offer  for  sale,  barter,  exchange  or  transfer, 
or  be  concerned  or  interested,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  in  the  sale,  bar- 
ter, exchange  or  transfer,  or  any  attempted  sale,  barter,  exchange  or  trans- 
fer, or  offer  for  sale,  barter,  exchange  or  transfer,  in  or  upon  any  of  the 
municipal  or  public  properties,  streets,  lanes,  alleys  or  highways  within  the 
City  of  Pittsburgh,  including  especially  the  front  or  fronts  of  any  theatre, 
opera  house,  athletic  field,  park,  tent  and  any  and  all  other  places  of  amuse- 
ment, any  ticket  or  tickets,  order  for  ticket  or  tickets,  or  card  of  admission, 
or  license,  or  any  other  token  or  paper  or  exhibit,  entitling  or  purporting  to 
entitle  the  bearer  or  bearers,  holder  or  holders  thereof,  or  any  person  or 
persons  whatever  to  admission  or  to  a  seat  or  seats  to  or  at  any  dramatic, 
theatrical,  operatic,  musical,  baseball,  football  or  athletic  or  any  other  public 
performance,  exhibition  or  entertainment  of  any  kind  whatever.  Provided, 
that  nothing  in  this  ordinance  shall  be  held  or  construed  to  prohibit  the  sale 
of  tickets  to  entertainments,  the  proceeds  of  which  are  to  be  devoted  to  chari- 
table or  benevolent  purposes. 

Section  4.  Any  person,  or  persons,  firms,  co-partnerships  or  corporations, 
violating  any  of  the  provisions  of  this  ordinance,  shall  be  subject  to  a  penalty 
of  not  less  than  $10.00,  nor  more  than  $50.00,  for  each  and  every  offense,  and 
in  default  of  the  payment  thereof,  shall  be  committed  to  the  Allegheny  County 
jail  or  workhouse,  for  a  period  not  exceeding  thirty  days. 

Section  5.  That  any  ordinance,  or  part  of  ordinance,  conflicting  with  the 
provisions  of  this  ordinance,  be  and  the  same  is  hereby  repealed,  so  far  as 
the  same  affects  this  ordinance. 

PORTLAND,  ORE. 

(Population  260,601.) 

The  following  is  the  Portland  ordinance  licensing  speculators  and  brokers 
in  tickets  of  admission  to  theatrical  performances: 

Section  30.  Ticket  agents,  ticket  brokers,  ticket  scalpers,  ticket  messen- 
gers, and  all  other  persons  engaged  permanently  or  temporarily  in  the  busi- 
ness of  buying  or  selling,  or  l)uying  and  selling  theatrical  tickets  for  profit, 
commission,  hire  or  reward  shall  pay  each  a  license  fee  to  the  Treasurer  of 
said  city  of  $100  per  quarter  year  in  advance  of  engaging  in  said  business. 

Every  person  shall  be  considered  as  engaging  in  the  business  described 
in  this  section  who  shall  buy  or  sell,  or  offer  to  buy  or  sell,  or  cause  to  be 
bought  or  sold,  theatrical  tickets  for  profit,  commission,  hire  or  reward,  either 
as  principal,  agent,  employe,  or  messenger. 

The  provisions  of  this  ordinance  shall  not  apply  to  general  ticket  agents 
or  theatres  doing  such  business  at  the  box  offices,  doors,  or  business  offices  of 
theatres. 

20 


MUNICIPAL  REFERENCE 
BULLETINS 


No.  1  Rates  of  Fare  of  Public  Motor  Vehicles  in 
Fifteen  Large  Cities 

No.  2    Municipal  Dance  Halls 

No.  3    A  Study  of  Rapid  Transit  in  Seven  Cities 

No.  4    The  Payment  of  Fines  in  Installments  by 
\  Offenders 

No.  6  SPECULATION  OR  SCALPING  IN  AMUSE- 
MENT TICKETS :  Analysis  of  Municipal 
Ordinances  Prohibiting  or  Regulating  the 
Sale  of  Tickets  of  Admission  at  Advanced 
Prices 

Copies  of  the  above  bulletins  may  be  obtained 
upon  application  to 

MUNICIPAL  REFERENCE  LIBRARY 

1005  CITY  HALL 

CHICAGO 


UNrVERSrTY  Of  lUJNOIS-URBANA 


3  0112  055379207 


